Be productive and strong; explore new land and find a way to survive.

   _.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._.-=-._
.----      - ---     --     ---   -----   - --       ----  ----   -     ----.
 )                                                                         (
(                             NewOrigins Events                             )
 )                             January, Year 2                             (
(                                                                           )
 )    Handful locals are whispering about the skirmish between hostile     (
(     forces happened in the mountains of Inhead where battle ended in      )
 )      a slaughter of one of the sides. This battle will be known as      (
(                      Battle near the city of Inholm.                      )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      Dozen travelers are discussing about a conflict between enemies      )
 )    happened in the forests of Utso where 1 combatant was killed. The    (
(     attackers slaughtered all defenders. This battle will be known as     )
 )                   Battle near the town of Erwhestead.                   (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )       Several wanderers are whispering about the skirmish between       (
(     enemies happened in the forests of Meulcos where battle ended in      )
 )      a slaughter of one of the sides. This battle will be known as      (
(                     Battle of the town of Erwhestead.                     )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Handful merchants are worried about the town of Prestad that lies     )
 )     in the Prausmonaf forests, where a faction attacked guards but      (
(                            were unsuccessful.                             )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(     Several traders are rumoring about the town of Coprengville that      )
 )     lies in the Pretcong plains, where a villans massacred guards.      (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )      Dozen druids are worried about rangers who have destroyed Imp      (
(      (4940) near town of Leserstead. Freeing the tundra of Rendprog       )
 )                            from their dread.                            (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )      In the plains of Crepess, near ocean of Atlantis Ocean, Evil       (
(      Mages (1161) who continue to cause horror to local inhabitants.      )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(       In the ocean of Atlantis Ocean, near town of Dirstec, Pirates       )
 )        (430) who continue to cause anxiety to local inhabitants.        (
(                                                                           )
 )                         .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                         (
(                                                                           )
 )    In the jungles of Blodo, near ocean of Atlantis Ocean, Great Apes    (
(          (730) who continue to cause dread to local inhabitants.          )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(        Horrifying news were coming from the forests of Chayemner.         )
 )      Citizens were horrified by the assassination near the town of      (
(                Leserstead. The assassin escaped unnoticed.                )
 )                                                                         (
(                          .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:.                          )
 )                                                                         (
(      Fearsome news were coming from the mountains of Phigill. Locals      )
 )      were shocked by the assassination near the ocean of Atlantis       (
(                  Ocean. The assassin escaped unnoticed.                   )
 )                                                                         (
(__       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       _       __)
    '-._.-' (___ _) '-._.-' '-._.-' )     ( '-._.-' '-._.-' (__ _ ) '-._.-'
            ( _ __)                (_     _)                (_ ___)
            (__  _)                 '-._.-'                 (___ _)
            '-._.-'                                         '-._.-'

December is a nice month. No attacks reported. 

We have heard of a shaft near us, we are heading to investigate.

Hunting party is on the way.

All of a sudden we're quite popular. There's lizard folk swimming about in our ocean. And not just one either. Also, we have visitors at our gates. Not used to company, we're not sure how to respond. Now where did I put that battle axe....

The slightly-more-tanned lord smiled.  At last the weird dudes were proving their worth, with their mastery of air and water being put to good use.

Offshore, the conjured waves rolled smoothly in towards the strand.  Already a lizarddude was balanced smoothly on a longboard, his tail an aid to balance as he carved back up the wave and then reversed towards the shore.

This was much better than being eaten by an anaconda like those other guys had been.  They should have stuck to the way of the dude.

un nouvel espoir peut venir d'une alliance forte

Scouts are simply the first round of invaders... Deal with them thusly.

Honk! Honk honk honk...

it is now time to explore !

To many hostile centaurs around. Their first warband has attacked my field HQ. I think they have not experienced fireballs before. They will not experience that anymore as well. We can only hope the remaining bands will search for other hunting grounds. But we doubt they will just move on.

It is a wistful time of year. 

How hard it is to plan and budget when the funds ran out yesterday.

Act Two. Scene One.

A barn at the north gate of the city wall. 
At the reception of the Head of the emigrant diaspora, magicians, a peasant elder and the heads of craft guilds.

The head of the emigrant diaspora.
- You came to me to ask, but you do it without due respect. Here you are, Magicians, asking for what the Lord has already ordered, namely, to build a tower. Build it! My people are not bothering you! You refused to hire them as builders yourself!

The Earth Magician
- Migrant builders have charged such a price that neither our salaries nor the allocated funds from the treasury will be enough even for the first floor of the tower! And we can't hire others because they can't get to the city. They are intercepted on the way robbed and beaten

- Okay, I heard you. Give away how much you have and the construction will begin. That you have an Elder!

The elder of the peasants
- We paid your guards to protect us, not for them to rob us themselves. Not a single grain wagon train reached the market and no one paid us for it. So there is no more money for taxes.  And there is nothing to eat. Either you're guarding us, or you'll be eating grass in the fields.

- Okay. We will review the methods of protection, but you will have to feed them better. And plant more grain. Guys like to drink beer. What do you have, artisans?

The head of the guild and armourers.
- We have received an order for armor, but more metal is needed for armor for your people. We'll have to wait. And artisans need to be fed better, and only crumbs reach the city from the fields

- Okay, there will be food for you, but production will be accelerated

A scared, slightly drunk Commander runs into the barn!
- Trouble! The lord is out of his mind! He orders to gather the strongest migrants and go with them to the neighbors for an anti-terrorist operation, to restore order!

Our mages speak of visions from far lands.  Farsight they call it.  Foresight, perhaps, of lands that we shall soon know completely and forever.

This month the traders exploring world saw more and more monsters. 
That seemed threatening to the bottom line, hence the trader council quickly put up a plan to establish unit of military expeditionary forces, who will be funded, equipped and trained to deal with such monsters on land or in sea. Unfortunately the project may take up to the year, but then the expectation is that trade routes will become much safer. 

The saplings grow. They have swords, and food and now we have fire.  Such dangerous things for trees..

So, who is the in the majority?

Come and join the banquet feast.
All welcomed...  Some more warmly than others

What's this ? We are blocked by one peasant units.
Forward!

Mistakes happen

Reality is amazing!

Anyone got any suggestion on how to get the Times through my spam filter?  I've approved the address multiple times.

The oceans of Atlantis seem wide, with long gaps between land. Clearly this world is made up of modest islands, which is why everyone is fighting so intensely over the available land.

What a wonderful day!
What a wonderful day!
What a wonderful person I am!
And my song!

------------------------------------------------------------
              Squirrel Chatter                second January
------------------------------------------------------------


The tundra town  of Dirstec looks like  a pleasant, peaceful
place to settle.  This world is kind and  gentle, and always
welcoming to explorers.
                         --Ssstriker Ssummer, Atlantis Ocean

The  forest  town  of  Erwhestead  looks  like  a  pleasant,
peaceful  place to  settle. I  so enjoy  our halcyon  world.
Peace  in every  direction. Except  perhaps the  direction I
came from. I hear rumors of  large battles behind me; glad I
left when I did.
                                  --Mister Sandwich, Meulcos

Looking for  a place to hide  from the rainstorm, I  found a
ruin with 7 lizard men. Ooh,  lizard men! Their tails are so
cute. I wonder whether they are friendly? I should be a good
neighbor pay them a call. Now how does one knock on the door
of a ruin? Is there a bell?
                                 --Sunny Marigold, Echellpol

Looking  for  a  place  to  shelter from  a  brief  bout  of
inclement weather, I  found a second ice cave  with a second
(or is it third now?) ice dragon. I wonder whether he or she
is friendly?  Let's go  see! Beats staying  out here  in the
wind and blowing snow.
                                           --Zykov, Bleovond

I  hear rumors  of battles  to the  southwest. That  doesn't
sound safe; time to get out of  here. I tried to go back the
way I came last month, but the 25 centaurs and 6 ice dwarves
that did not  block me from coming in blocked  me from going
out, and someone took my horse.  Well, it isn't good, but at
least I  have something to write  about. I wonder if  all of
Atlantis is  exactly like this,  or whether I  have wandered
into an unusually unfriendly neighborhood? I guess I'll just
send letters to the embassy and ask if there is any way out.
And until I get a reply from  the embassy or die of old age,
I suppose  I'll just farm.  I had  meant to farm  the ruined
tundras until they began to recover, but it appears that the
gods,  or if  not the  gods,  someone, anyway,  wants me  to
improve the Prandme forest instead of the wasted tundras.
                                --Tinoth Nothisosed, Prandme

Squirrelhome  now is  at  peace on  all  sides. Which  means
squirrelhome  lacks a  frontier.  Which  means last  month's
musings will  soon be relevant. Our  population continues to
rise but there  are no more cushy taxing  jobs. The squirrel
standard  of living  is falling.  Some squirrels  have taken
to  trying  to eat  trees.  (Let  the squirrels  eat  trees!
No,  trees are  for  beavers!)  Some enterprising  squirrels
have  proposed  that we  will  all  be more  comfortable  if
they  convert  some of the  trees  into  axes.   I'm  not so
sure;  if  we  can't  eat  trees,  how  does  turning  trees
into  axes which  can fell  even more  trees which  we still
can't eat help us?  But  the axe capitalists  are insistent,
murmuring  something unintelligible  about the  labor factor
of  production  (lumberjacks)  and  the  capital  factor  of
production (axes). I think it is all nonsense; most squirrel
investment  (capital)  is  in  training  of  labor,  not  in
equipment, and in any case, one cannot eat wood. Now farming
and cooking, those are worthwhile endeavors.
                                     --Zas Dathnesmot, Yglen

Where is this  exponential growth I keep  hearing Zas yammer
about? I see  no sign of exponential growth  in our treasury
reports. I  don't think  the rest  of you  see any  signs of
exponential  growth in  your treasury  reports, either.  For
January  and  February  growth was  almost  impossible;  for
March the  squirrels only know  the population of  one race,
additional races were added in the spring.    By  June,  our
treasury reports started including  a majority of races. But
from June on,  world population growth has  been linear, not
exponential.  I think  growth  is  linear, not  exponential.
Claims  of exponential  growth seem  based on  extrapolation
from the  last months of  the first winter, when  growth was
impossible, or last spring, when  none of us had demographic
data on all of Atlantis' races. Growth is linear. Check your
own  treasury reports,  I claim  your graphs  look like  the
graph below.
                     world population by month                 
  16000  --------------------------------------------------    
        |                                                  |   
        |                                                 *|   
  14000 |-                                              **-|   
        |                                              *   |   
        |                                            **    |   
  12000 |-                                         **     -|   
        |                                         *        |   
        |                                       **         |   
  10000 |-                                    **          -|   
        |                                    *             |   
        |                                   *              |   
   8000 |-                                **              -|   
        |                                *                 |   
        |                              **                  |   
   6000 |-                           **                   -|   
        |                           *                      |   
        |                         **                       |   
   4000 |-                      **                        -|   
        |                    ***                           |   
        |                ****                              |   
   2000 |-            ***                                 -|   
        |           **                                     |   
        |         **                                       |   
      0  --------------------------------------------------    
             2        4        6        8         10      12  
Hill  dwarves are  not  included  because squirrels  haven't
found any;  most squirrels think hill  dwarves are mythical.
Drow  squirrels are  the exception;  drow squirrels  believe
hill dwarves  are corrupted  underdwarves, warped  by living
too long on the wrong side of the cylinder.   Drow squirrels
are certain  that high elves  are corrupted drow,  warped by
spending too long on the bad side of the shaft.  I am a high
elf, and I'm  quite sure that I'm not corrupted,  so I shall
guess that  the drow are wrong about hill dwarves,  the same
way the drow are wrong about so many other things.  My guess
is that hill dwarves do not exist.
                                        --Nanotha, Ersatrork

The  underforest city  of  Oghtstowe is  indeed a  pleasant,
peaceful place to settle, just  as it appeared. There are so
many  happy, safe,  friendly places in  this  world.  (It is
probably best to just ignore the demons outside the walls.)
                              --Meraca Yarareethare, Tahimmo

Yep,  friendly demons.  Who knew?  The demons  are friendly,
the  undead are  friendly, the  lizardmen are  friendly, the
dragons,  well,  perhaps the  squirrels  shold  study up  on
draconic  etiquette  before  talking to  any  more  dragons.
Perhaps all  these friendly  demons and friendly  undead are
giving the the  squirrel mages hints about  what they should
study next.  Squirrels want  friendly neighbors.  Demons are
all friendly. Undead are all friendly. Dragons are sometimes
not  friendly. If  squirrel mages  want friendly  neighbors,
they should  make some. Bird  lore? No, no bird  lore, birds
unfriendly.  Necromancy?  Sure,  undead have  been  friendly
neighbors. Demon  lore? Sure, all the  demons squirrels have
met so far have been friendly neighbors.
                               --Kifono Fanathinilu, Tahimno

------------------------------------------------------------
                                Be with us next time for
                                "When a fella needs a fiend"
                                or
                                "Rest in pieces"
                                                 --Squirrels
------------------------------------------------------------

The land in this world has an intricate shape.

Nothing to report. Everything's going well. Looking forward to moving day.

Pirates and mages didn't liked us visiting. Would the ogres and trents treat us better?

     Abiirsa Jaminapour was already patiently waiting when Rhydian entered the dining area for breakfast.   After an apparently heartfelt greeting, Abiirsa encouraged him to indulge in a hearty breakfast, for, as he was aware, portal travel takes a lot out of one physically, mentally.......basically in all ways.
    After a pleasant and filling meal, they left the Travelers Hospice compound and entered the bustling metropolis of the Nexus.  It was difficult for Rhydian not to stop to stare in amazement at many sights they passed along their way.  Nexus was the center--the brain and the heart--of the multiverse, and the Exalted Ones, as well as those on their way to becoming so, not to mention the Travelers, used it as a home base.   Travelers brought cultural and stylistic influences back from the many worlds, universes, and realities through which they traversed.  The result was an extremely eclectic mix of unique, fantastic, and ,sometimes, reality bending, disorienting views.
     They went through an immense square with a miniature mountain in the center, covered with huge boulders and high altitude vegetation.  About half way to the peak was a cave entrance, the portal to mountainous destinations.  Later there was a wildly overgrown pool, actually a swamp.  There was a likewise overgrown island in the swamp with a vine ridden archway, the portal to swamp lands.  Rhydian had never  been interested in swamps.  He avoided the one he had once learned of.  And yet, there was something......
     His homeland was forested and that is the terrain to which he had chosen to travel.  Finally they came to an area, still within the city which had a large forested park, so dense it was impossible to determine how expansive it was.  Abiirsa led him to a hidden trail, and they followed it for quite a ways  until it ended where two huge trees had fallen against each other from opposite sides of the trail.  They were still rooted to the ground and alive.  Underbrush grew densely to either side and some thickly leaved branches hung down obscurely, covering the passageway.
     "This is where I leave you." Abiirsa said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Or, rather, this is where you leave us.  I will be the one to greet your friends as they arrive, and I will bring them here to come through to you.  Good luck, Rhydian Kweo."
     Rhydian pushed the branches aside and ducked through into a flash of brilliant light.
     

Your luck's not mine to give or take
I never stole your pride
What luck you have is what you make
It all comes from inside.

All friendly except for the rats.

TIP OF THE TURN 12!

#3 Produce stones as much as you can! It will great bullets for catapults!

"If this sky comes with the south wind, this "Dzhutinakht" will sit on its southern (side)" (с)

Our astronomers track the twinkling sprinkles in the sky. Strange new theories they divulge. They claim proof we stand forth upon a cylinder which rotates. They're deranged but harmless squirrel whisperers of course, everyone knows these lights revolve around the World Donut.

"Err, don't you mean World Dough Nut?"

Who said that? Arrest him! Hang the heretic!

Yo ho ho...

Constuction of the Great Hall has commenced.

What next? 

Carnival of Shadows Introduces Moonlit Market

In an unexpected twist, the Carnival of Shadows has unveiled its latest attraction: the Moonlit Market. Opening only after dusk, the market features a collection of strange and wondrous goods, from enchanted trinkets to elixirs of questionable origin.

Visitors report a bizarre array of stalls, manned by shadowy figures offering deals that seem too good—or too strange—to be true. Some claim that what you buy may not be quite what it seems.

Old Jobobo, when asked about the market, grinned:
"Oh, the Moonlit Market? A place where the wise shop with their eyes open and the foolish… well, they get what they deserve."

The Moonlit Market has already become a must-see for carnival-goers seeking the truly unusual.

We too are on a quest to better ourselves, evolving toward a state of perfection.

Please clean your plate dear, the Lord above can see ya
Don't you know people are starving in Korea
Alcohol and razor blades and poison and needles
Kindergarten people, they use'em, they need'em
The over-indulgent machines were their children
There wasn't a way down on Earth here to cool'em
'Cause they looked just like humans at Kresge's and Woolworth's
But decadent brains were at work to destroy
Brats in batallions were ruling the streets
Saying generation landslide Closed the gap between'em
And I laughed to myself at the men and the ladies
Who never conceived of us billion dollar babies

Our scouts have discovered some lovely tropical islands ... if by lovely you mean fly ridden swamps.

The Ordovicians are the fundamentalists of the Lithian religion. Their leader is Llanberis, Archepriest of the Ordovician Diabase. Subvolcanic rocks who chose to remain isolated near their point of origin deep deep underground. They have their own militia called the Mafics. In short they are the rednecks of the rock breed. 

Krystall, leading figure in mafics women's branch, is currently on a mission for the Archepriest...

This new month in the second year would decide the fate of the base of operations for the Cartographers.
everything had been laid in the hands of the western faction to decide. bereft of allies the gods would now decide.

on a better note - The Great Map grows fast! now with water cartographers and allies with ships, more sea and island hexes are discovered.

We would also like to wish Gerald all the best, one intrepid lizardman, trying to circumnavigate the globe! 
We will keep you updated on his adventures. already having swum for 4 months and crossing the international date line in two months time! good luck Gerald, we are all rooting for you!

the Cartographers

The Pied Piper sighed deeply.

one more jump, one more month, and he could return home.
he hoped that he would not be attacked and would not jump back into bears and ice dragons!

soon he could be re united with his kin and their homeland.

a place to spread minstrels out into the lands

please entertain our entertaining minstrels by declaring us neutral or better. we come for the good of all!

The pied Piper

The Sage shrugged off the dust from his robes and he glanced about,

the good thing about believing in reincarnation was the reincarnation bit.... stepping once more onto the plain, the ne The Sage gathered his bearings. now without the original skills he would have to re learn the magic ways.

would 3 mages be enough to protect their fledgling home? it wasnt the first time....

Silver

I need help.

Honk honk!

Settling in at the local Inn, Lucky Luke enjoyed the entertainment that was on offer. 
the local Ballerinas were amazing and the beer was the best he had had in a long time. the folks here seemed welcoming and he was just starting to find his place.

maybe he would send off a scout to explore the lands beyond. see if there was any new lands out west. but for now he would content himself to relaxing and enjoying a well earned beer.

I'm just here to watch the fun

Wandering through the mountains, like a mountain goat, was the future of his people in search of food.

Groo

Wouldn't it be nice to have friendly neighbors? It's such a hustle to get rid of the bodies of the unfriendly ones without the others getting suspicious.

Eager talons twitch
Keen eyes spot and swift wings furl
Then the demons strike

Middle aged surfers.  Walruses.